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I pray you speak for me to master doctor.

Face. He shall do any thing. Doctor, do you hear? This is my friend, Abel, an honest fellow :

He lets me have good tobacco, and he

Does not sophisticate it.

Drug. No, I never sophisticate it.

Face. Nor wrap it up in piss'd clouts.

Drug. Oh, fye for shame, captain.

Face. He's a neat, spruce, honest fellow, and no goldsmith.

Drug. No, I am no goldsmith.

Sub. He's a fortunate fellow, that I am sure onFace. Already, sir, ha' you found it! Lo'thee, Abel! Sub. And in right way towards riches

Face. Sir?

Sub. This summer

He will be of the clothing of his company,

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And next spring call'd to the scarlet, spend what he can. Face. What, and so little beard?

He

Sub. You must think,

may

have a receipt to make hair come :

But he'll be wise, preserve his youth, and fine for't; His fortune looks for him another way.

Face. 'Slid, doctor, how canst thou know this so soon? I am amaz'd at that!

Sub. By a rule, captain,

In metaposcopy, which I do work by;

A certain star i' the forehead, which you see not.
Your chesnut, or your olive-colour'd face,

Does never fail and your long ear doth promise,

:

D

I knew't, by certain spots too, in his teeth,

And on the nail of his mercurial finger.

Face. Which finger's that?

Sub. His little finger. Look

You were born upon a Wednesday ?

Drug. "Yes, indeed, sir,” and so I was.

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Sub. The thumb in Chiromancy, we give Venus; The fore-finger, to Jove; the midst, to Saturn; The ring, to Sol; the least, to Mercury, Who was the lord, sir, of his Horoscope,

His House of Life being Librą; which foreshew'd

He should be a merchant, and should trade with

balance.

Face. Why this is strange? Is't not, honest Nab? Drug. Yes, very strange.

Sub. There is a ship now, coming from Ormus, That shall yield him such a commodity

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This is the west, and this is the south.

Drug. Yes, sir.

Sub. And those are your two sides?

Drug. Ay, sir.

Sub. Make me your door then south; your broadside, west :

And, on the east-side of your shop, aloft,
Write Mathlai, Tarmael, and Baraborat :
Upon the north-part, Rael, Velel, Thiel.
They are the name of those mercurial spirits,
That do fright flies from boxes.

Drug. Yes, sir.

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Sub. And

Beneath your threshold, bury me a loadstone

To draw in gallants, that wear spurs; the rest / They'll seem to follow.

Face. That's a secret, Nab.

Sub. And, on your stall, a puppet, with a vice,
And a court-fucus to call city-dames.

You shall deal much with minerals,
Drug. Sir, I have

At home already.

Sub. Ay, I know, you have, Arsnike,
Vitriol, Salt-tartre, Argale, Alkaly,
Cinoper: I know all. This fellow, captain,
Will come, in time, to be a great distiller,
And give a say (I will not say directly,
But very fair) at the Philosopher's Stone.
Face. Why, how now, Abel! is this true?
Drug. Good captain,

What must I give?

Face. Nay, I'll not counsel thee.

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Thou hear'st what wealth (he says spend what thou

canst)

Th'art like to come to.

Drug. I would give him a crown.

Face. A crown! and towards such a fortune ?

Heart,

Thou shalt rather gi' him thy shop. No gold about

thee?

Drug. Yes, I have a Portague, I have kept this

half year,

And I would fain keep it half a year longer.

Face. Out on thee, Nab. 'Slight, there was such an offer,

'Shalt keep 't no longer, I'll gi' it him for thee.

Drug. Will ye?

Face. Doctor, Nab prays your worship to drink this, and swears

He will appear more grateful, as your skill

Does raise him in the world.

Drug. I would intreat

Another favour of his worship.

Face. What is❜t, Nab?

Drug. But to look over, sir, my almanack,

And cross out my ill days, that I may

Bargain nor trust upon them.

Face. That he shall, Nab.

neither

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Leave it, it shall be done, 'gainst afternoon.

Sub. And a direction for his shelves.

Face. Now, Nab,

Art thou well pleased, Nab?

Drug. Thank, sir, both your worships,

I am a made man.

Face. Away.

Why, now you smoaky prosecutor of nature !
Now do you see, that something's to be done,
Beside beech-coal, and
your

your

[Exit.

cor'sive waters,

"Your crosslets, crucibles, and cucurbites?

"You must have stuff, brought home to you, to

work on?"

And yet, you think, I am at no expence

In searching out these veins, then following them, Then trying them out. 'Fore God, my intelligence Costs me more money than my share oft comes to In these rare works.

Sub. You are pleasant, sir.-How now?

Enter DOL.

Face. What says my dainty Dolkin?

Dol. Yonder fish-wife

Will not away. And there's your giantess,
The bawd of Lambeth.

Sub. Heart, I cannot speak with them.

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Dol. Not afore night, I have told them, in a voice, Through the trunk, like one of your familiars. But I have spied sir Epicure Mammon.

Sub. Where?

Dol. Coming along, at far end of the lane, Slow of his feet, but earnest of his tongue, To one that's with him.

Sub. Face, go you, and shift.

Dol, you must presently make ready too-
Dol. Why, what's the matter?

Sub. Oh, I did look for him

With the sun's rising: marvel, he could sleep!
This is the day I am to perfect for him
The Magisterium, our Great-Work, the Stone;
And yield it, made into his hands; of which,
He has, this month, talk'd, as he were possess'd,
"And now he's dealing pieces on't away.
"Methinks I see him entering ordinaries,

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